Antimicrobic fibrous materials and films,and a method of producing the same



3,536,437 Patented Oct. 27, 1970 Uted States Patent Ofiioe ANTIMICROBIC FIisRoUs MATERIALS AND FILMS, AND A METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME was treated with 10 liters of 0.1% hydrochloric acid at 20 C. for 30 min. and washed with distilled water to a neutral reaction. It was then treated for 30 min. at 20 C. with 10 liters of a solution containing 1.25 X 10 units of Zakhar Alexandrovich Rogovin, Ulitsa Donskaya 60, kv. 5 mycerine, an antibiotic from the group f neomycin,

102, and Alexandr Davidovich Virnik, Ulitsa Nagatin- Washed With Water d dried. skaya 53, kv. 54, both of Moscow, USSR. The antimicrobic activity of the fabric was tested by N Drawillg- Filed 1967, 619,611 the agar-plate method, the test micro-organisms being 1: /18 Bacillus subtilis 6633, B. mycoides 537 and Staphylococ- 7 Chums 10 cm aureus 209, in a concentration of 50-70 million microbes per ml. of agar. The zones of arrested growth ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE of the micro-organisms round specimens of 1 cm. were 8, 6 and 6 mm. respectively. The antimicrobic activity An antimicrobic material roduced b treatin a (1 ed material with an acid, said dye being berided to rind dyed 0f the was tamed after ltundenng 20 Wlth material by covalent bonds and containing an ionogenic Soap or 011-10 detergent mixture of polyethylene; group, followed by treatment with an ionic bactericide glycol esters of mono and dlalky Phenols of the genera whereby a bond is formed between said dye and said formula bactericide.

Rz o (o H2CH2O) an The present invention relates to antimicrobic fibrous 1 materials and films and methods of producing the same.

Fibrous materials and films possessing antimicrobic properties are of interest in a number of special fields. wherein 1 i an kyl ntaining, mainly, from 8 to l0 They find application in surgery for dressings and as pack- Carbon a 2= 1 H and laundellllg ing materials for storing sterile surgical instruments, and nditions being as follows: temperature 50 0., time can also be used for making gowns, garments, bed linens, min., bath factor 50:1, concentration of soap 5 g. per covers, and curtains used in hospitals and bacteriological liter, concentration of 011-10 detergent l g. per liter. The laboratories. zones of arrested growth of said micro-organisms after Antimicrobic properties can be imparted to fibrous ma- 30 laundering with p were 4, 1 and 1 respectively, terials and films by impregnation with solutions or emuland after laundering with OII-10 detergent 5, 1 and 2 sions of bactericides. In these instances, however, the mm. respectively.

- bactericides are not fixed on the fibrous materials and When 0.5 kg. of fabric was treated with a solution films and are rapidly removed during use, particularly containing 2.5 l0 units of mycerine, the zones of arwhen laundered. It is therefore more expedient to join the rested growth of the said micro-organisms were 10, 8 bactericides to the macromolecules of the fibre-forming and 6 mm. after laundering 20 times with soap the zones or film-forming polymers by chemical bonding (ionic, of arrested growth were 6, 2 and 3 mm., and after laundercovalent or coordinate). ing with OII-10 detergent, 6, 3 and 4 mm.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a EXAMPLE 2 method for producing antimicrobic fibrous materials and films whose antimicrobic properties are retained during 1 of Cotton knltted fabrlc dyed Wlth y lengthy use and repeated wet treatment.

The foregoing and additional objects have been accomplished by the provision of a method whereby fibrous ooHa materials or films, dyed with reactive dyes which during OH I the dyeing operation form covalent bonds with the ma- -N=N terials being dyed and which contain ionogenic groups, I are treated with dilute acids and then with substances SO2CH2CH2OSOrNa containing bactericidal cations which form bonds with so N the ionogenic groups of the dyes. 5 3 3 Due to the chemical bond between the ionogenic groups of the reactive dyes and .the bactericides, fibrous materials and films retain their antimicrobic properties after numwas 'E f for 30 wlth 10 htersf of hydro erous wet treatments. Suitable for treatment with bac- Chlonc 301d at and Washed wlth dlsflued Water tericides are materials made f cellulose, Polyvinyl to a neutral reaction. It was then treated with 10 liters alcohol, polyamides and other natural or Syntheth; of 0.1% silver acetate solution at 20 C. for 30 min., polymers dyed with reactive dyes of the general formula washed W1t h F f wherein A is a reactive group which enters The antimicrobic act1v1ty of the fabric was tested into chemical reaction with the material being dyed, B by the -p t {method and y moculatmg p is a chromogen and C is an ionogenic group with which mans of the fabrlc Wlth a Suspenslon P a 1 the b i i i b d ture of Staphylococcus aureus or BtlClllllS coll contain- For a better understanding of the invention by those ing X microbes P i microbe u$PeI1Si0I1 skilled in the art, the following examples are given by way was applled t0 the p lmen of fabric by the drip method f illustration at the rate of 1x10 microbes per cm. The count of the surviving micro-organisms after a 45-minute exposure EXAMPLE 1 was made on solid nutrient medium in Petri dishes seeded 0.5 kg. of viscose staple fabric dyed with dye 1,. with a suspension obtained by beating out the inocu- OH NHz -N=N N=N Na03sooHroHr s0t NaO S SOg-OHz-CHg-OSO NQ lated specimens with glass beads in physiological solution with stirring.

When the antimicrobic activity of the fabric was tested by the agar-plate method, the zones of arrested growth of the three micro-organisms specified in Example 1 were 4, 4 and 2 mm. respectively. When the antimicrobic activity of the fabric was tested by the second method, growth of bacteria was not detected. Death of the test microbes was 100%.

The antimicrobic properties of the fabric Were fully retained after 5 launderings with soap or detergent OH- 10. On the other hand, knitted fabric impregnated with a solution of silver acetate and air-dried lost practically all its antimicrobic activity after 5 launderings under the conditions stipulated above.

EXAMPLE 3 1 kg. of viscose staple fabric dyed with dye II, Was treated with liters of 0.1% hydrochloric acid at C. for min. and washed with distilled water to a neutral reaction. It was then treated with 20 liters of 0.2% copper acetate at 20 C. for 30 min. washed with water and dried. After a 45-min. exposure the reduction of bacterial seeding following inoculation by the drip method Was 98% for Staphylococcus aureus and 97% for Bacillus coll. After 10 launderings with OII10 detergent the reduction of bacterial seeding was 80% for both cultures. On the other hand, when fabric was impregnated with copper acetate solution and air-dried, it lost practically all its antimicrobic properties after one or two launderings.

EXAMPLE 4 10 g. of polyvinyl alcohol film dyed with dye I was treated with 200 ml. of 0.1% hydrochloric acid at 20 C. for 20 min. and washed with distilled water to a neutral reaction. It was then treated with 200 ml. of 0.2% N-cetylpyridinium chloride solution at 20 C. for 3 hr., washed with water and dried. Bacteriological tests showed that when a specimen of film was inoculated by the drip method, death of Staphylococcus after a 45-min. exposure was 100%.

EXAMPLE 5 100 g. of Kapron knitted fabric dyed with dye III,

N 011 NH-O ool N=N I 1 0 NELOaS NaOsS SOaNa ([31 was treated for 20 min. with 500 ml. of 0.1% hydrochloric acid at 20 C. and washed with distilled water to a neutral reaction. It was then treated with 2 liter of 0.1% silver acetate solution at 20 C. for 60 min., washed with water and dried. Bacteriological tests showed that when a specimen of the fabric was inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus by the drip method, bacterial seeding of the specimen was reduced by after a 45-min. exposure.

What is claimed is:

1. An antimicrobic material comprising a member selected from the group consisting of fibrous materials and films dyed with a reactive dye bonded to said dyed material by covalent bonds and containing an ionogenic group, said material being bonded to mycerine through said ionogenie group of said dye.

2. The antimicrobic material of claim 1 wherein said dye has the structural formula:

wherein A is a reactive group which enters into a chemical reaction with said material, B is a chromogen and C is said ionogenic group.

3. The antimicrobic material of claim 1 wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of cellulose and synthetic polymers.

4. A method of producing an antimicrobic material comprising treating a dyed material selected from the group consisting of fibrous materials and films, said dye being bonded to said material by covalent bonds and containing an ionogenic group, with an acid and with mycerine whereby a bond is formed between said mycerine and said ionogenic group.

5. The process of claim 4 including the step of dyeing said material.

6. The process of claim 4 wherein said dye has the structural formula:

ABC

wherein A is a reactive group which enters into a chemical reaction with said material, B is a chromogen and C is said ionogenic group.

7. The process of claim 4 wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of cellulose and synthetic polymers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,120,507 2/1964 Andrew et al. 3,178,250 4/1965 Ellis 818 3,261,658 7/1966 Feeman 854.2 XR

OTHER REFERENCES Review of Textile Progress, 1960, pp. 354-355, published 1962 by The Textile Institute, Manchester England.

GEORGE F. LESMES, Primary Examiner T. I. HERBERT, JR., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 873 

